diff --git a/electron.js b/electron.js
index 054198ccb..196fd7c8b 100644
--- a/electron.js
+++ b/electron.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ app.on('ready', async () => {
         const dateNoteService = require('./src/services/date_notes');
         const dateUtils = require('./src/services/date_utils');
 
-        const parentNote = await dateNoteService.getDateNote(dateUtils.nowDate());
+        const parentNote = await dateNoteService.getDateNote(dateUtils.nowLocalDate());
 
         // window may be hidden / not in focus
         mainWindow.focus();
diff --git a/src/services/date_notes.js b/src/services/date_notes.js
index 7f287d48c..9d8a35646 100644
--- a/src/services/date_notes.js
+++ b/src/services/date_notes.js
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ async function getRootCalendarNote() {
     return rootNote;
 }
 
-async function getYearNote(dateTimeStr, rootNote) {
-    const yearStr = dateTimeStr.substr(0, 4);
+async function getYearNote(dateStr, rootNote) {
+    const yearStr = dateStr.substr(0, 4);
 
     let yearNote = await attributeService.getNoteWithLabel(YEAR_LABEL, yearStr);
 
@@ -66,19 +66,19 @@ async function getYearNote(dateTimeStr, rootNote) {
     return yearNote;
 }
 
-async function getMonthNote(dateTimeStr, rootNote) {
-    const monthStr = dateTimeStr.substr(0, 7);
-    const monthNumber = dateTimeStr.substr(5, 2);
+async function getMonthNote(dateStr, rootNote) {
+    const monthStr = dateStr.substr(0, 7);
+    const monthNumber = dateStr.substr(5, 2);
 
     let monthNote = await attributeService.getNoteWithLabel(MONTH_LABEL, monthStr);
 
     if (!monthNote) {
-        const yearNote = await getYearNote(dateTimeStr, rootNote);
+        const yearNote = await getYearNote(dateStr, rootNote);
 
         monthNote = await getNoteStartingWith(yearNote.noteId, monthNumber);
 
         if (!monthNote) {
-            const dateObj = dateUtils.parseDate(dateTimeStr);
+            const dateObj = dateUtils.parseLocalDate(dateStr);
 
             const noteTitle = monthNumber + " - " + MONTHS[dateObj.getMonth()];
 
@@ -92,21 +92,20 @@ async function getMonthNote(dateTimeStr, rootNote) {
     return monthNote;
 }
 
-async function getDateNote(dateTimeStr) {
+async function getDateNote(dateStr) {
     const rootNote = await getRootCalendarNote();
 
-    const dateStr = dateTimeStr.substr(0, 10);
-    const dayNumber = dateTimeStr.substr(8, 2);
+    const dayNumber = dateStr.substr(8, 2);
 
     let dateNote = await attributeService.getNoteWithLabel(DATE_LABEL, dateStr);
 
     if (!dateNote) {
-        const monthNote = await getMonthNote(dateTimeStr, rootNote);
+        const monthNote = await getMonthNote(dateStr, rootNote);
 
         dateNote = await getNoteStartingWith(monthNote.noteId, dayNumber);
 
         if (!dateNote) {
-            const dateObj = dateUtils.parseDate(dateTimeStr);
+            const dateObj = dateUtils.parseLocalDate(dateStr);
 
             const noteTitle = dayNumber + " - " + DAYS[dateObj.getDay()];
 
diff --git a/src/services/date_utils.js b/src/services/date_utils.js
index 2923351df..521955c8a 100644
--- a/src/services/date_utils.js
+++ b/src/services/date_utils.js
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@ function nowDate() {
     return dateStr(new Date());
 }
 
+function nowLocalDate() {
+    const date = new Date();
+
+    return date.getFullYear() + "-" + pad(date.getMonth() + 1) + "-" + pad(date.getDate());
+}
+
+function pad(num) {
+    return num <= 9 ? `0${num}` : `${num}`;
+}
+
 function dateStr(date) {
     return date.toISOString();
 }
@@ -25,14 +35,23 @@ function parseDate(str) {
     return parseDateTime(datePart + "T12:00:00.000Z");
 }
 
+function parseLocalDate(str) {
+    const datePart = str.substr(0, 10);
+
+    // not specifying the timezone and specifying the time means Date.parse() will use the local timezone
+    return parseDateTime(datePart + " 12:00:00.000");
+}
+
 function getDateTimeForFile() {
     return new Date().toISOString().substr(0, 19).replace(/:/g, '');
 }
 
 module.exports = {
     nowDate,
+    nowLocalDate,
     dateStr,
     parseDate,
     parseDateTime,
+    parseLocalDate,
     getDateTimeForFile
 };
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